Sola Gratia – By Grace Alone

For the past couple of weeks, I have used this article space to explain “The Five Solas” and why they are important.  The first two are Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide, meaning Scripture Alone and Faith Alone, respectively.  If you missed those articles, you may find them on Lakewood’s website under “Pastor’s Page”.

Next up in this series is “Sola Gratia,” meaning grace alone.  For Baptists, this sounds easy enough on the surface that you may think that it doesn’t require much explanation.  Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  What could be clearer, right?  But I encourage you to slow down – way down.  In fact, stop for a moment and really read that verse.  I mean really read it.  What does it truly say?  This-is-not-your-own-doing.  You did nothing to cause the salvation which God has freely given you.  Nothing means, well, nothing.  At all.

This means that contrary to what some may teach, God did not look into the future and see that you were going to be a “good” person, and therefore decide to save you.  He didn’t even base His salvation on any future knowledge of you whatsoever.  Such (false) teaching cannot be found anywhere in the totality of God’s word.  Through the first few chapters in our Genesis sermon series, we have seen that God’s use of the word “good” means perfect, flawless, righteous, holy.  Yet Scriptures such as Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3, Romans 3:10-12, and many others teach us that there are no good humans.  We are all sinners.  Nothing we can say, do, or think can ever cause God to save us.  Additionally, Scripture repeatedly tells us that salvation belongs to our Lord (Psalm 3:8, Psalm 62:1, Revelation 7:10).

Grace is a gift of God.  You’ve done nothing to deserve it, which is why it is called grace!

So why did God save you?  The specific answer to that question is bound up in His sovereignty.  His will, His decisions, and His choices may fall into one of two categories – revealed and hidden.  God reveals some parts of His will to us, in the form of His written word, the Bible.  Other parts of His will remain hidden from us.  But the big picture answer to “why did God save you” is for the purpose of bringing glory to Himself.  By saving you apart from any good in you at all, God receives 100% of the glory.

Although this may be a bit perplexing, it should bring great confidence and assurance to God’s people.  If there is nothing you have done to bring about your own salvation, then there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation.  And this is exactly what we find in God’s word!  John 10:28-29 says, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

If God has saved you, you have received His unmerited grace.  And for that all glory, honor, and worship are due to Him!

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce

bruce.cullom@gmail.com